One of the hottest debates raging in today’s world concerns the issue of environmental sustainability. With rising oil prices and global warming causing distress in both the economic and environmental circles, creating developments that minimize their energy usage and carbon footprint is essential. 

A new initiative addressing these issues has been set in motion on the big island of Hawaii. On a 700-acre plot of volcanic rock, Cornell has teamed up with industry leaders to create a unique development that will revolutionize the world of sustainability. Through a combination of fresh thinking and cutting edge technology, the Cornell team is on the road to planning a development that will be a pioneer in the “Green” technology sector.

The Hawaiian development, Palamanui, will serve as both an example and a research platform for renewable technology and sustainable design. Cornell is in the process of developing technology and planning guidelines for this development, that includes 1,200 residential homes, a 120-room hotel, a commercial district, a section of the University of Hawaii, and a hospital. 

The Cornell team, dubbed CUGreen, is a cross-disciplinary group composed of more than 20 students, faculty, and professionals who have begun to hash out the design guidelines for the development. The team includes a range of engineers, architects, and urban planners who all have a common interest in sustainable design and  ‘green’ development. Through this coordination, research into renewable energy systems such as wind and solar power, and regional planning has already yielded promising results.

Thus far the team has compiled a preliminary deliverable that it will be submitting to the developers this winter. Over the course of the next semester, CUGreen will fine-tune the conceptual design to provide the investors with a specific set of guidelines, outlining the most feasible and sustainable technologies applicable to Palamanui.